The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, Introduction 2 · Section 12 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV. Chap. XIV. Of Particular Orders.Of particular Orders and Advertiſements.
CANON I. NO Perſon ſhall be received into Communion with the Church, till ſuch time as be have firſt publickly renounced all the Superſtitions and Idolatries of the Romiſh Church, and in particular the Maſs.
CAN. II. No godly Man ſhall be allowed to intermeddle with any matters conjoined with Idolatry, ſuch as thoſe they call the Baiſemains, or Le Dedans de Legliſe, nor to cauſe Maſſes and Vigils to be ſaid, nor to ordain Monks▪ who be ſolely ordained to this purpoſe. But to hold Priories, Revenues, Rents, Chanteries, and Tithes, and to pay the profits of them unto the Popiſh Eccleſiaſticks, for as much as they be Temporal Lords, it is a thing indifferent, and they that will do it may take their Liberty. Nevertheleſs the Faithful ſhall be adviſed not to intermeddle with theſe matters if they find any abuſes in them, or an appearance of evil Conſequences, of all which Conſiſtories and Colloquies ſhall paſs a prudent judgment.
CAN. III. Such as by unlawful means, as by Papal Bulls, or a ſum of money, ſhall buy or hold Benefices, or ſuch as in like manner ſhall directly or indirectly maintain Idolatry, ſhall be denounced Perſons utterly unworthy of Communion with our Churches in the holy Supper of the Lord, nor ſhall they be admitted to it. And as for Benefices, of which any one may have an Advowſonage, whether by Preſentation from the Lord of the Mannor, a Lay-Patron, or by the Biſhops Gift, the Faithful are adviſed not to accept of them, though tender'd to them, if there be a tacit or expreſs condition of any ſervice to be performed unto the Idol.
CAN. IV. Printers, Bookſellers, Painters, and other Artificers, and in general all the Faithful, and particularly ſuch as bear Office in the Church, ſhall be admoniſhed that they do not in the leaſt act any thing in their Calling that tends directly to countenance the Superſtitions of the Church of Rome; and as for ſecret Acts, and the Cenſure incurred by them, their judgment is left unto the Conſiſtory.
CAN. V. Notaries, Scrivenors, and others, who by the Duty of their Callings are obliged to ſign and ſeal indifferently all matters which are brought unto them, they ſhall not be cenſured for receiving Teſtaments, paſſing Contracts, and expediting Letters, which concern Idolatry, nor Judges for their judging Cauſes concerning Eccleſiaſtical Eſtates, and the Execution of the Edict.
CAN. VI. Arbitrators ſhall not in any manner of way intermeddle with things, which concern Idolatry, either directly or indirectly.
CAN. VII. Neither Counſellors nor Attorneys at Law ſhall plead in thoſe Cauſes which tend to the ſuppreſſion of the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, or to the ſetting up of Maſs, nor ſhall they in any manner of way whatſoever be allowed to give their advice or aſſiſtance unto the Romiſh Churchmen, in thoſe Cauſes which do either directly or indirectly tend unto the oppreſſion of a Reformed Church.
CAN. VIII. Neither Biſhops, nor Officials, nor Arch-Deacons, as they be now Conſtituted, have of right any Civil or Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction. However becauſe the Faithful are ſometimes conſtrained to appear before them for obtaining their own juſt dues, which otherwiſe would be detained from them, in caſe they he turned over to them by the Civil Magiſtrate (to whom they ſhall firſt make their applications) they may warrantably enough have recourſe unto them.
CAN. IX. Godly Advocates ought not in any wiſe to plead in the Officials-Court; unleſs in thoſe Caſes in which they be neceſſitated to proſecute the right of their Clients before them, according to the laſt foregoing Canon.
CAN. X. It is not in it ſelf unlawful to exerciſe civil Juriſdictions, as to act as Attorneys for and under Eccleſiaſtical Perſons, unleſs in ſuch Caſes, which they call ſpiritual.
CAN. XI. The Faithful may not take out, or cauſe to be Executed, any Monitory or Writ of Excommunication from the Church of Rome.
CAN. XII. Foraſmuch as it is neither lawful not expedient to heat the Popiſh Preachers, nor any others who have intruded themſelves without a lawful Call, the Flocks ſhall be hindred by their Paſtors from going to them, and ſuch as ſhall go, they ſhall be called into the Conſiſtory, and Cenſured according to the nature of their offence.
CAN. XIII. Lords, Gentlemen and others, ſhall be admoniſhed according to the Diſcipline of our Church, not to entertain in their Houſes, any ſcandalous or incorrigible Perſons, and above all, that they do not ſuffer any Prieſts to ſing Maſs, or to dogmatize and debauch their Domeſticks, nor ſhall they admit of any ſuch again into their ſervice, if they have once diſcarded them.
CAN. XIV. Fathers and Mothers ſhall be exhorted to be very careful of their Childrens Education, which are the Seed-Plot, and promiſing hopes of God's Church. And therefore ſuch as ſend them to School to be taught by Prieſts, Monks, Jeſuits and Nuns, they ſhall be proſecuted with all Church-Cenſures. Thoſe alſo ſhall be Cenſured who diſpoſe of their Children to be Pages, or Servant unto Lords and Gentlemen of the contrary Religion.
CAN. XV. They whoſe Brethren, Siſters, or other Kindred, have quitted their Monaſteries to ſerve God in liberty of Conſcience, ſhall be exhorted to relieve them, and to provide for them according to the duties of humanity and Conſanguinity.
CAN. XVI. Neither Miniſters nor other Members of the Church may print any Books compoſed by themſelves or others concerning Religion, nor may they at all publiſh them, until they have firſt Communicated them unto the Colloquy, or if need be, unto the Provincial Synod. And in caſe the matter be urgent (requiring ſpeedy diſpatch) unto the Univerſities, or to two Paſtors appointed by the Synod, who ſhall atteſt under their own hands, that they have peruſed and examined the ſaid Writings.
CAN. XVII. They that handle the Hiſtories of holy Scripture in Poems, are admoniſhed not to blend or intermingle Poetick Fables with them, nor to give unto God the names of a falſe God, nor to add unto, nor take any thing from the Sacred Scriptures; but they ſhall confine themſelves as near as they can unto the words of it.
CAN. XVIII. Neither the Canonical nor other Books of the Bible ſhall be transformed into Comedies or Tragedies.
CAN. XIX. Churches, which have Printers belonging to them, ſhall adviſe them not to print any Books concerning Religion, or the Diſcipline of the Church, without having firſt Communicated them unto the Conſiſtory, becauſe of thoſe manifold Inconveniencies, which have formerly happened upon this account. And neither Printers, nor Bookſellers, nor Hawkers, ſhall ſell any Books of Idolatry, or that be Scandalous, ſtuffed with Ribauldry, or Impiety, which tend to the corrupting of good Manners.
CAN. XX. Although Prieſts cannot lay any juſt claim or title unto Tyths in regard of their Miniſtry: yet nevertheleſs they muſt be paid, becauſe of the King's Command, and for the avoidance of Scandal and Sedition.
CAN. XXI. According to his Majeſties Edict the Faithful ſhall be exhorted to give none offence by working upon Holy-Days.
CAN. XXII. All Uſuries ſhall be moſt ſtrictly forbidden and ſuppreſſed, and matters of Loan ſhall be regulated according to the Kings Ordinance, and the Rule of Charity.
CAN. XXIII. All violence and injurious words againſt the Members of the Church of Rome, as alſo againſt Prieſts and Monks, ſhall not only be forborn, but alſo as much as may be ſhall be totally ſuppreſſed.
CAN. XXIV. Swearers, who in paſſion or levity do take God's holy Name in vain, and others who blaſpheme the Divine Majeſty, ſhall be moſt ſeverely cenſured; and if after the ſecond admonition they be not reclaimed, they ſhall be then ſuſpended from the Lord's Table. And all Outragious Blaſphemers, Forſwearers, and ſuch like Perſons, ſhall in no wiſe be tolerated in Church-Communion: But immediately for their firſt offence ſhall be ſuſpended the Lord's Supper: and if they continue in their Ungodlineſs, they ſhall be publickly Excommunicated.
CAN. XXV. The Churches ſhall admoniſh the Faithful of both Sexes to retain Modeſty, and that moſt eſpecially in their Habits, and ſhall take care, that all Superfluities, heretofore committed in them, may be retrenched. But yet our Churches ſhall not make any Decree about it, becauſe it is an affair properly belonging unto the Civil Magiſtrate; yet may they endeavour by their Remonſtrances, that his Majeſties Edict concerning theſe matters be more diligently obſerved.
CAN. XXVI. No Perſon ſhall be deprived of Communion at the Lord's Table for wearing any faſhion of Apparel, which is ordinarily and uſually worn in this Kingdom. But under this head thoſe ought not to be compriſed which carry with them a notorious Badge of Laſciviouſneſs, diſſolution, or over-curious novelty, ſuch as naked Breaſts, Painting, and the like, with which Men and Women cloath and abuſe themſelves. And Conſiſtories ſhall do their utmoſt to ſuppreſs theſe Impieties, and ſhall proceed againſt the Refractory by Suſpenſion from the Lord's Table. N. B. That Clauſe in the middle of this Canon, Printed in another Letter, is found in my Pariſian and Quevilly Editions of the Diſcipline, yet injoined by the National Synods held at St. Foy, 1578. Canon 21. of General Matters. The ſecond of Rochel, 1581. Art. 41. Explaining the 26 Canon in the laſt Chapter of the Diſcipline, and the Synod of Montauban, 1594. Canon 45. of General Matters.
CAN. XXVII. All Dances ſhall be ſuppreſt, and ſuch as make a Trade of Dancing, or make Cuſtom of being preſent at Dances, having been ſundry times admoniſhed, in caſe they prove contumacious and Rebellious, they ſhall be Excommunicated, and all Conſiſtories are charged to ſee that this Canon be moſt heedfully kept and obſerved, and in the name of God, and by the Authority of this Synod, that it be read publickly in their Churches. And Colloquies and Provincial Synods are exhorted to have an obſerving eye on thoſe Conſiſtories, which ſhall not perform their duty in this particular, that they may be cenſured. N.B. Provincial Synods is left out by pure omiſſion from my other Editions but thoſe of Paris and Quevilly.
CAN. XXVIII. Mummings and Juglings ſhall not be ſuffered, nor Waſſail-days, nor keeping of Shrovetide, nor Players at Heypaſs, nor Tumblers, nor Tricks of Goblets, nor Puppet-Plays; and Chriſtian Magiſtrates are exhorted not to permit them, becauſe they do feed curioſity, and cauſe a great deal of waſte and loſs of time. Moreover it ſhall not be lawful for the Faithful to go to Comedies, Tragedies, Interludes, Farces, or other Stage-Plays, acted in publick or private, becauſe in all Ages theſe have been forbidden among Chriſtians, as bringing in a corruption of good Manners, but then moſt of all when as the Sacred Scriptures come to be profaned. Yet nevertheleſs when as in a Colledge it ſhall be found profitable for Youth to repreſent any Hiſtory, it may be tolerated; (provided always, that the ſubject matter thereof be not compriſed in the holy Scripture: which was never given us for matter of ſport, but purely to be Preached for our Inſtruction and Comfort.) And this alſo ſhall be done very rarely, and with advice of the Colloquy, which ſhall firſt have the ſight and peruſal of the Compoſition.
CAN. XXIX. All Plays forbidden by the Kings Edicts, as Cards, Dice, and other Games of hazard, avarice, laſciviouſneſs, notorious loſs of time, or ſcandal, ſhall be ſuppreſſed, and the Perſons reproved, and admoniſhed in the Conſiſtories, and cenſured according to Circumſtances. No Lotteries can be approved, although they were or were not allowed by the Civil Magiſtrate: and the godly Magiſtrates profeſſing the Reformed Religion, are exhorted to reſtrain them. N. B. This laſt Clauſe of the Canon is only in my two Editions of Paris and Quevilly.
CAN. XXX. It is a thing purely indifferent to be preſent at thoſe Feaſts and Banquets which are made by thoſe of the Popiſh Religion, when as they are Eſpouſed, Married, or their Children are born. However the Faithful are admoniſhed to uſe them for edification, and ſeriouſly to ponder with themſelves whether they be Maſters of ſo much ſtrength as to reſiſt the diſſolutions and other evils committed at them, and eſpecially whether they can reprove them. And under theſe Feaſts thoſe are not to be compriſed, which Prieſts make at the Celebration of their firſt Maſs; for it is utterly unlawful for any one who fears God to countenance them with his preſence.
CAN. XXXi. None of the Faithful ſhall be preſent at their Marriages and Banquets, who, that they may eſpouſe a Party of the contrary Religion, do revolt from the profeſſion of the Goſpel. But as for them, who have a long time ago Apoſtatized, or have been always Papiſts, 'tis left unto the Prudence of the Faithful to conſider with themſelves whether it may be expedient for them or no.
CAN. XXXII. They that Challenge, or cauſe others to be challenged unto a Duel, or being challenged do accept of it, and kill their Parties, although they may have afterward obtained their Pardon, or may be otherwiſe juſtified, ſhall yet notwithſtanding have the cenſure of Suſpenſion from the Lord's Table, inflicted on them, and their Suſpenſion ſhall be publiſhed without delay, and in caſe they would be received unto the Churches Peace, they ſhall firſt undergo publick Penance, making acknowledgment of their great offence.
CAN. XXXIII. Theſe Articles contained in this Book of Diſcipline, are not eſtabliſhed among us in ſuch a manner, but that if the Churches benefit do require it, they may be changed: Yet ſhall not any Miniſters, Conſiſtories, Colloquies, or Provincial Synods have power to add, change or diminiſh, without the advice or conſent of a National Synod.